Remembrance
by Nitefallen
Summary: "There is no clan that feels deeper love than the Uchiha." -Tobirama Senju. It was so true. But when your older brothers happened to be Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha… when you have a certain Madara Uchiha in your head… Was history destined to repeat itself? SI / OC as the younger sister to Sasuke, featuring Madara as a voice in her head. ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1 - Beginnings

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

Yuki.

That's my name now.

I had another name previously... but I suppose it's unimportant now.

Because to anyone here, I was 'Yuki Uchiha, younger sister of Sasuke Uchiha by 1 year and Daughter of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha'

I was born with memories of a past life, a time where I would watch the anime and read the manga of Naruto and perhaps _dream_ of it once in a while.

Yet the world I'm in now is the Naruto universe and it's clear here —way too clear to be a dream of a dead girl—

So my first thought (for this reflection) was '_Why me_?'

In my past life, I was an ordinary girl, albeit a sickly one, who spent her last moments dying too young on a cold hospital bed. I was no champion martial artist or soldier and while I loved Naruto, I wouldn't claim to be an expert on it. So in the end, I settled on it being life's way of paying back the years I'd lost out on previously. Sounds dubious I know, but it's the best I could come up with.

So my second thought was '_Why here_'

I suppose it could have been worse, considering that I was born in Konoha and in a strong clan at that. I could have been born in Kirigakure. I could have been born in some random civilian family, only to be killed by bandits.

Despite being almost promised a certain level of power just due to my family, I was unhappy. Perhaps, it was precisely because of that, I just wanted to enjoy this life with **my** family, a family that I never had in my past life; I didn't particularly want this responsibility of being in a major clan or a role that was essential to the plot.

But like it or not, I was in the Uchiha clan and death was hovering just around the corner in the form of my loveable, _deadly_ aniki, Itachi. Also, there happened to be what? 2 or 3 Organizations after my head?

It was either kill or be killed.

It sounds cheesy but shinobi weren't known for their kindness.

And I'd be damned before I let my second chance at life slip from my fingers.

When I was first born, I had absolutely no idea what was happening. All I knew was that my comforting darkness was suddenly ripped away and I was thrust into a bright place. Needless to say, I was terrified and thoroughly confused. I couldn't speak, I couldn't move (much) and there was this _strange_ feeling inside of me.

And so I did the logical thing, I cried. none. stop.

It turned out that, having never encountered chakra before, I was extremely sensitive to it and as a result could possibly react to painfully to any use of it. It didn't help that I seemed to have a very high amount of Spiritual chakra for my age.

To my parents, any idea of me being a kunoichi was ruthlessly quashed.

_Ouch._

Thankfully, with enough time and practice I would become used to it, though I would have to prove myself to my parents.

* * *

There wasn't much to do as a baby, with most of it consisting of sleeping. And when I wasn't sleeping I would be trying to brush up my rusty Japanese by listening to my family or playing with chakra, that warm fuzzy _thing_ inside of me which I had no idea of what it was at that point.

It wasn't until I was 2 months old and my eyes had become more developed did I realise the truth.

That day, Mom brought me out of the compound for a 'walk' and probably to show me off to relatives and friends I assumed. Resting my head on my mother's comfortable shoulder, I peered at what I assumed were faces carved into a mountain. _'I didn't realize Japan had something like this'_ was my initial thought.

"Oh Yuki, that's Hokage mountain, where faces of the past and present Hokages are carved"

I just stared wide eyed at her… And stared some more… as my 2 month old brain processed it.

_"Hokage mountain? Isn't that the name of that mountain in Naru- Oh. Shit."_

* * *

**AN: ****Finally gathered enough confidence to post my very first fanfiction (a SI no less). Firstly, this is my first shot so it isn't going to be top notch material right away, so hopefully i'll improve as time goes on. **

**Inspired by the stories of all the various Naruto SI authors such as: Silver Queen, Darkpetal16, Vixen Tail, Shadownumera, thelonelylovechild and many other SI authors out there.**

**Hope you enjoyed it :) I'll see you next time**


	2. Chapter 2 - Madara?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

* * *

**Previously**

_"Hokage mountain? Isn't that the name of that mountain in Naru- Oh. Shit."_

* * *

After the walk, we headed back and that was when I got my first good look at him.

Itachi Uchiha. Heir to the Uchiha family. Prodigy. Future murderer of the Uchiha clan. Future S-rank nuke-nin. _My Brother._

Awesome.

I won't mince my words; back in my old life Itachi was always one of my favorite characters and unfortunately, he also had one of the most tragic stories in the series. And now here he was, Family.

He was training in the courtyard as father and Sasuke watched on, but they paused as soon as mother walked in carrying me in her arms. I was then promptly deposited in the arms of Itachi.

'_Smells of Steel and Ash. Fitting.' _

And the warmth. As I snuggled in closer into Itachi's chest, he held me closer and the uncertain expression on his face melted into a genuine smile.

'_Perhaps I went overboard with the crying. I guess I just have to-'_

**Poke**.

I opened my eyes to see Itachi's finger retreating from my forehead as everyone gathered around me.

'_What a meanie' _Still, I decided to treat them with the cutest wide eyed look I could manage, causing even father's ice cold facade to break into a small smile.

I felt this warm fluttery feeling in my stomach.

_Was this what its like to be loved?_ _I suppose so_

_I was loved._

_I have a family._

_I had everything I always wanted._

In my previous life, my parents were very ill (much like me) and as a result I didn't have much time with them since they died when I was only 5. I didn't forget them and I wasn't about to either.

But I think they would have wanted me to move on, to treasure this second chance, to be happy. _And I think I can be._

_And I'm willing to do anything and sacrifice anything to make sure this lasts._

* * *

My days quickly fell into a routine, with me playing with my brothers in the day, contentedly enjoying this precious family time, and by night I trained.

I would practice basic motor movements such as moving my arms and standing up before trying out new words that I had picked up. Lastly, I would attempt to mold my chakra, channeling it to my hands then concentrating it in my core, afterwards, I would fall asleep due to exhaustion.

Apparently, Itachi was somehow aware of my late night practices but had kept to himself, letting me decide when I would reveal it. I suppose he understood the stress of being a prodigy better than most.

I would also find that my chakra sensitivity allowed me to find out who was entering and prepare a unique response for the visitor. Itachi would be greeted with a babbled 'taci' and 2 arms raised, begging to be carried. Dad would receive a curious tilt of the head, while Mom would get a wide smile. After their initial shock had worn off, Mom and Dad remained puzzled how I knew they were coming despite them not making any sound whatsoever, until they finally figured out I was sensing them through their chakra, prompting an amused smile from both of them.

Through my chakra sensing I also understood my family better. Dad's chakra felt unyielding, strong and strict. Mom's chakra felt soft, yet there seemed to be a hint of steel underneath it. Itachi's chakra was… unique. Normally it would seem dull and grey, but whenever he was around me or Sasuke, it would become more vibrant yet gentle at the same time.

* * *

Thus this would continue until I was 11 months old. My chakra reserves had doubled by then, much to my delight and I had decided to start speaking, after all I was anxious to communicate with my family.

As Mom brought me to the table for breakfast, I opened my mouth to speak–

"_**Hello Child**_" –only to be interrupted by a voice, with a tone of hardened steel, in my head.

"_What? How? Who are you?"_

"_**I will indulge you with the what and the how first. I'm an entity residing in your soul and since you have gained enough spiritual or Yin energy, I am able to manifest in your mind. As you expand your spiritual energy reserve, I will manifest more fully and remember more of my past."**_

"_**As for the who, I am Madara Uchiha"**_

**The** Madara Uchiha, legendary leader of the Uchiha clan, antagonist which pretty much orchestrated most of the bad events in _Naruto, _conceiver of the eye of the moon plan and badass who defeated the 5 Kage without breaking a sweat, was in my head.

Oh Kami help me.

"Madara?!"

I didn't realize I squealed that out loud until I caught the shocked looks on my parents and the curious look on Itachi's face.

"What did you say dear?"

I resisted the urge to bury my face in my tiny hands. I was not getting out of this one. Everyone had heard it.

Parents expect their child's first word to be something like Tou-san or Kaa-san or maybe their names. What they do not expect is their child saying the name of a 'long dead' ancestor that was certainly not mentioned around said child. With perfect clarity, might I add.

"Ma-da-ra?..."

Silence.

"Where did you hear that dear?"

Cause saying 'from a voice in my head' would have caused me to be shipped off to the Yamanaka's before I could say 'Uchiha', I wisely responded:

"In dream?..."

Deciding to answer the obvious followup question, I continued:

"There was man with long hair and red armor, he said his name was Madara."

Glancing away from my flabbergasted parents, I caught Itachi raising both eyebrows.

"_Did I do something wrong?"_

I pondered for a moment and… Oh. My speech. That was _not_ how toddlers spoke, even if they were Uchiha's.

I groaned inwardly. _It was going to be a long day._

* * *

That evening, a gathering of elders was held, to discuss my _unique situation_.

Infusing my ears with a tiny bit of chakra (I didn't want to be deaf) I could faintly make out some words.

" Spoke…Dreams…Madara…"

A pause. Then my father continued.

"Chakra…Sensing…like him"

Then came some words that almost made me leap with joy.

"Impos…Nonsens…Coincidence…"

"Describ…him…" "Has…high…spiritual…" "There….possibility…"

My father countered.

Eventually, " Test…determine…"

I frowned. '_A test?'_

* * *

And so I found myself infront of a row of items, all of them ninja tools.

There were shurikens, a set of body armor, a sword and a…Kama, among other things.

"Pick one"

I immediately knew that the kama belonged to **him.**

I felt conflicted. I could choose wrongly and everything would be assumed to be a lucky coincidence and I could return to my usual life, instead of being forced into brutal training that would likely be even worse than even Itachi's.

And yet I hesitated. If I didn't pick correctly would I get another chance to prove myself? My parents already thought I was unsuited to be a Kunoichi due to my chakra sensitivity, so what would I be then? Would I be forced into an arranged marriage? Would I be a brood mare? '_And I'll have to learn take care of myself after the massacre, kami knows how many people want the sharingan"_ But I would become a tool, a weapon and my family… might not treat me the same way anymore, I could –no, would– lose the very family warmth I desired.

My mind went back to what I promised earlier.

'_And I'm willing to do anything and sacrifice anything to make sure this lasts.'_

And so I chose.


	3. Chapter 3 - A day off

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**.

**AN: So here's Yuki's choice. ****Thanks for all of the reviews, follows and favourites :) Hope you enjoy the story.**

**Btw Kama is a type of scythe like weapon.**

* * *

**Previously**

My mind went back to what I promised earlier.

'_And I'm willing to do anything and sacrifice anything to make sure this lasts.'_

And so I chose.

* * *

At first glance, it would seem obvious, pick the wrong item and continue to enjoy the family warmth I so desired.

But I couldn't.

I was under no illusions that I could prevent the massacre from occurring, after all who would listen to a child? Let alone one that wasn't even the heir of the clan.

Besides, even if I could stop it from happening, _I wasn't sure if I wanted to._ For it would result in the Uchiha's coup d'etat _succeeding_ and honestly, it would _destroy Konoha_. Completely.

All I could do would be to salvage the pieces, protecting my precious people as I did so. I had to be strong. Strong enough to beat Orochimaru, Strong enough to beat Danzo, strong enough to save Itachi and Sasuke from themselves. I had to become a ninja; saying no was simply not an option.

So I calmly walked over to the Kama and chose it.

And with the accompanied gasps, I knew my fate was sealed.

From the corner of my eyes I could see Itachi looking on with an…expression. It wasn't pity, it was more of _empathy, of understanding._

"Life is going to be tough but you must be strong my little imouto, no matter what and know that I will be here for you_" _Itachi would later say as he approached me.

If only he knew how true the first part was.

"_Madara? Are you there? You've been quiet."_

"_**I am here, I merely wished to observe your actions. After these choices are yours to make and yours alone. And what intriguing choices they were. Few would knowingly take on such a heavy burden and at such a young age."**_

"_I do what I must to save those that matter to me, no matter the cost."_

"_**Intriguing**__**. Perhaps I shall assist in this endeavor of yours. Besides, you are my reincarnation are you not?"**_

I shrugged.

'_They certainly seem to think so'_

* * *

The days quickly fell into a routine. Rise at the crack of dawn for endurance training by running around the compound, followed by chakra control exercises before stopping for lunch. After lunch was Taijutsu training alongside Sasuke followed by Ninjutsu and Genjutsu training with Itachi as my teacher. After all, what better person to teach a prodigy than another prodigy?

Next, came agility training, arguably the most brutal training. Why? Madara was my Sensei for this one. After convincing my father that this was how I saw Madara train in 'a dream', I was sent racing blindfolded through a rocky obstacle course. It contributed to the majority of my training injuries but Madara's response was a simple "_**The pain will help you learn**_".

Finally, the day would end with my academic studies, which was accompanied by fuinjutsu.

It was brutal and free time was non-existent, but I got to spend precious time with both my aniki's, even if it were time spent training side by side. Or trying to pummel each other in Sasuke's case, though we would often end with both of us laughing at our disheveled appearances.

The months blurred past and my progress steadily improved, catching up to Sasuke despite the 2 year gap. And yet no less was expected from me. After all Itachi made Genin at _7_ and Kakashi made Genin at _5_. Much of my progress was also attributed to Madara. It was like having a constant mentor, albeit one that knew even more than those physically teaching me.

He would push me to my limits in all the physical trainings, ensuring I was thoroughly exhausted, yet at the same time he made sure all my movements were precise, with no wasted movements even in things as simple as running or breathing. With him it was all about efficiency, how to guard against your opponent and strike back in the least movements and yet the most force.

But his help truly paid off during Ninjutsu and Fuinjutsu training. Since he didn't use Genjutsu extensively he couldn't help as much compared to the Genjutsu master that was Itachi, but in all other areas he was invaluable.

He would teach me how to focus and feel my chakra, to be able to use the precise amount needed for the technique. He also gave an insightful explanation on the theory behind shortening the amount of hand seals required to perform a technique.

"_**Hand seals are merely ways to mold the chakra within you to use techniques. With practice you will become familiar with the way chakra is molded within you, enabling a skilled user to use techniques with minimal hand seals by consciously molding in a way similar to hand seals. However much practice and excellent chakra control is required."**_

Madara promised to teach me more complex seals later, but I didn't mind, since I was still grappling with the basics and was content to practice making the basic explosive seals.

* * *

"Yuki, your progress has been… _adequate_. You are excused from training today, as are your brothers. Return for dinner."

Ever since I'd made that choice, Father… wasn't quite the same. Even though I had expected it, it still threw me for a loop when I realized _just how different_. He was even colder and much stricter now. I wasn't sure what he saw me as anymore, Yuki Uchiha, his 2-3 year old daughter or Yuki Uchiha, reincarnation of Madara and tool of the clan?

I soon found myself sitting infront of the _Paw Encyclopedia_, along with Itachi and Sasuke. Over the years we had collected a sizeable amount of paw prints resulting in a sizeable book.

"Aniki, where are we going today?"

**Poke.**

"It's a surprise, my little otouto and imouto. "

I glared at the offending finger before I shared a look with Sasuke, who had received the same treatment.

"Response A, Sasuke?"

"Hai! Yuki"

I vaulted off Sasuke's back towards Itachi with Sasuke right behind me.

Barreling into Itachi, we commenced the second part of the plan. Tickle him into oblivion.

After a minute of Itachi trying –in vain– to dislodge us, he gave up and laid on the ground.

"So cruel… What have I done to deserve this?"

Sasuke and I just rolled our eyes.

* * *

_It was free, free from the cruel clutches of __**her**__. It would never return and all those who opposed it would have no mercy shown to them. Right now it stalked it's 3 newest targets, waiting for them to let their guard down. Then it would __**strike.**_

* * *

I shivered.

We were in the forest, looking for new breeds of cats to add to our collection since we had collected all of the city cats already. However, I had this feeling that we were being watched that I couldn't shake off…

"Hey aniki, why does that bush have eyes?"

Huh? What was Sasuke talking about?

"I don't think that's a bush otouto."

Just then a brown blur flew out of the bush into Sasuke, engaging him in a furious bout of paw-to-hand Taijutsu.

Itachi and I just stared.

Brown fur. Markings on head. Amber coloured eyes. And a red ribbon on its right ear? Was that _thing_ Tora?

Sasuke managed to subdue it eventually, but not before it raked its claws on Sasuke's face leaving 3 thin claw marks on each cheek, similar to Naruto.

"After a fearsome battle, the great Sasuke managed to subdue the feral beast and now wears those marks as a symbol of his valor." I commented sarcastically.

"Shut up. I didn't see you helping."

"You wound me, I had the utmost confidence in you. Unless you mean you needed help with a mere cat eh?"

Angry glare directed my way.

"I overdid it didn't I?"

"Yes you did, my foolish imouto, yes you did."

"Eep! Someone save me!"

Cue Sasuke chasing me and me running for my life.

Itachi just sighed and collected Tora's paw print.

It was times like these that reminded me of how _normal_ our family could be. Well_…_ as normal as a family of _trained killers_ could be anyway.

After picking some dango, much to the delight of Itachi and I and to the disgust of Sasuke, we headed home.

* * *

A quiet dinner was what I expected. But what I got instead was a bright red and white banner with the words "Happy 3rd Birthday Yuki!" on them.

'_Oh. It's my birthday? Already? I've just been so busy... it's just slipped my mind.'_

As my family surrounded me wishing me well, I noted the vibrant smiles on everyone's faces (even Dad's) and felt tears of joy well up. We were so happy together and I never wanted this to end.

After a sumptuous dinner prepared by mom, it was time for presents.

I unwrapped the present from Dad to reveal a set of form fitting body armor, similar in style to those the ANBU wore and a beautiful Kama lying next to the armor. It was a little big for me, but '_I would grow into it'_ as Dad wisely said.

I received a necklace from mom, it consisted of a band of high quality black cloth and in typical shinobi practicality, the gleaming Uchiha symbol was embedded in the cloth rather than attached to it, so it wouldn't jingle.

Sasuke gave me a pair of black gloves, claiming it would be useful in training.

Itachi… gave me a scroll. I unrolled it to find _a summoning contract. For crows. _I looked at Itachi and he nodded, giving the go ahead. I pricked my hand and signed my name under Itachi's name.

_Best Gift Ever._

After demolishing the cake, we parted ways and headed to bed. After all, I still had training tomorrow.

* * *

Tiger.

"_**Feel your chakra."**_

Ram.

"_**Concentrate it in your core and do not let it stop growing."**_

Monkey.

"_**Direct your chakra to your lungs."**_

Boar.

"_**Breath in deeply."**_

Horse.

"_**Continue to channel chakra to your lungs. For fire is alive, ever growing and consuming. Without chakra it flickers and dies."**_

Tiger.

"_**And release! With all your intent! Do not think you want to burn your enemies. No! You want to annihilate them and leave only ashes!"**_

"Katon: Gōkayū no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)

With the final hand seal, I produced a fireball about the size of myself, much of it due to Madara's advice. Beside me, Sasuke produced a fireball about the size of his upper body.

"We'll both practice together till its perfect right Sasuke-kun?" I stated in an effort to wipe that disappointed look of his face.

"Hn." It worked.

"Well done. But there is room for improvement, continue to practice on your own."

Before father left, he turned around and–

"Sasuke. Yuki. You have been enrolled into the academy. You will start tomorrow."

* * *

**AN: Phew. A longer chapter than usual. Madara dosen't talk much during some scenes because that's Yuki's personal moments with her family, he sees no need to intrude. **

**So Yuki's off to the academy with Sasuke now. For now this story is of a lighter mood, but that's only because shit hasn't hit the fan. Yet**_**.**_

**Apologies for the grammatical errors, I try to correct them as soon as I notice them.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Calm before the storm

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**AN:** As always, thanks for the reviews, favs and follows. Sorry about the slow updates, been a little busy with real life obligations. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to rate &amp; review.

* * *

**Previously**

Before father left, he turned around and–

"Sasuke. Yuki. You have been enrolled into the academy. You will start tomorrow."

* * *

As I tried combing through my hair for the 5th time, I sighed audibly.

Everyone said that I looked like Madara and all it took was one look into the mirror to tell me why.

My shoulder-length hair was spiky and absolutely untamable. Even my right bangs were starting to cover my eye. So all in all I looked like a–

"_**A young feminine version of me. Hmm. I wonder if this has to do with my spiritual essence or chakra mixing with yours?"**_

"_Probably. Wonder if I could use my hair for Ninjutsu when it's longer. Maybe like Jiraiya."_

"_**Possible. Though I find it distasteful."**_

I examined my attire and nodded absently. It consisted of a sleeveless black turtleneck with the Uchiha fan emblazoned on the back and a pair of black shorts. A utility belt and Sasuke's pair of black gloves completed the outfit.

Satisfied, I joined Sasuke as Itachi walked us to the academy. Looking around, I felt a deep sense of foreboding settle down in the pit of my stomach.

The ring of increasingly empty housing around the Uchiha compound. The tense attitude of the guards. The wary glances people gave our way.

The warning signs of the Uchiha massacre were already appearing.

* * *

" Next match: Neji Hyūga vs Yuki Uchiha "

After we both formed the seal of Confrontation, I looked up to meet Neji's icy glare with a cool stare of my own.

" You should give up now. I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl, so you're only delaying your inevitable fate" Neji smirked.

A flash of anger coursed through me and had to resist the urge to pound him into the ground.

"_**Perhaps you should. The Gentle Fist targets the chakra pathways, strike fast and avoid contact with his hands. Give no quarter, for you will receive none in return."**_

"Hajime!"

I feinted with a lazy left hook, and Neji responded by swiftly sidestepping, with both arms blurring towards both my shoulders, no doubt to incapacitate them and end the match swiftly.

I redrew my arm and begin a fast combo of kicks and punches, only for Neji to go on the defensive and smoothly block all of them. _Damn. He's fast._

Dodge. Counter. Deflect. Begin a new combo.

It continued until I was cradling a limp left arm and Neji sported nasty bruises on his chest and both forearms.

" Perhaps you should give up now, since you're the one whose delaying the inevitable," I parroted his earlier words with a smirk.

Visibly enraged, Neji charged, with an arm already aiming towards a Tenketsu point on my shoulder.

Exactly what I wanted.

As I felt my other arm go limp with an intense flare of pain, my front kick connected with Neji's already bruised chest, sending him stumbling back… Before my roundhouse kick followed and sent him flying. And then he crashed ontot the ground. Hard.

"Match goes to Yuki Uchiha. Though both of you should moderate your strength, this is a **friendly** match, am I clear?"

I nodded my assent.

"Good. Now form the seal of reconciliation and bow."

Neji just stalked off.

I shrugged. I didn't expect any less from him.

" Yuki-chan! That was a great match, sorry if my cousin took it so seriously. Here I'll unblock your chakra network," Hinata said with admiration clear in her voice.

"Thank you Hinata-chan, I'm sure you just need some practice and you'll be just as good. Have some faith in yourself and don't sell yourself short, especially not to people like your cousin," I replied as I smiled warmly at Hinata.

* * *

Ever since I had arrived at the academy, I had developed a friendship with Hinata as well as Sakura and Ino. The latter friendship having developed over Kunoichi classes.

Apparently while I excelled in other classes, Kunoichi classes were the bane of my existence. Having lived my past life in a hospital bed and the current one training non-stop, I had no idea how to act like a girl.

Ino and Sakura had jumped on the chance '_to help me get in touch to my feminine side'_ much to my chagrin. Though I had a pretty good idea what or _who *__CoughSasukeCough*_ they wanted.

Not long after I joined the academy, I also befriended Naruto, through a clichéd offering to share food while he was starving. The fact that it worked only told me how bad the situation regarding Naruto was. He was so starved for recognition and attention that such a simple thing was enough to win him over.

Admittedly, there were rare times when I wished I hadn't done so, since his boundless energy and enthusiasm would wear me out really quickly. But he was _Naruto_, he would later become a loyal and trusted friend, so I bore with it and tried to help him as best as I could.

* * *

As we neared the clan compound, a commotion could be heard.

Sharing a glance with Sasuke, we leapt onto the gate of the compound to gain a better view of the courtyard.

The sight that greeted us was _alarming,_ to say the least.

Itachi was surrounded by a ring of Uchiha clansmen, all of them in a combat stance and Sharingan active.

" Did you think you could fool us with this nonsense?! That _Shunsin no Shisui_ would commit suicide over something like this? That our clan is narrow minded? "

_Oh No._

" He must have killed him for his eyes! So hand them over before we execute you traitor! "

The accusations continued to be flung at Itachi, but a single word sliced through the commotion.

"No." That was Itachi.

Then it began.

* * *

Itachi was a pacifist at heart, but even he had a breaking point.

And by slandering and dishonouring his best friend's sacrifice by brushing it off as if it were nothing but an annoyance, they had pushed him past his limit.

Ducking under a wild swing, Itachi swept his assailant off his feet before slamming him into the ground so hard that it cracked.

Casting a potent genjutsu on the two rushing to meet him, he then substituted out of the way of a massive fireball… before delivering a flurry of blows that even the Sharingan struggled to see, leaving the caster of the fireball as a bloody mess quivering on the floor.

They were so thoroughly outmatched that it was laughable.

_But Itachi found that he didn't care._

As the last of his attackers fell, clutching his head and screaming in incoherent terror, Itachi straightened from his crouch.

"Itachi! What is the meaning of this!"

Fugaku Uchiha's voice rang through the courtyard.

"Father, please stop this madness! The Uchiha cannot stage this coup! A civil war will tear Konoha apart! Think of Shisui's sacrifice, think about the clan!"

"What I'm doing is precisely for the clan! For too long the Uchiha have been shunned! Oppressed! The Uchihas _will __take our rightful place as the leaders of Konoha and if there is war... So be it._"

Itachi blurred through the gates of the compound, unable to stand the growing despair he felt.

_He needed time to think._

* * *

Kneeling at the cliff where Shisui had thrown himself into the river, Itachi made a silent prayer.

_Shisui, my friend, I have failed. The clan will not change their mind; I fear for Konoha should they succeed._

As the bush behind him parted, Itachi had already placed a kunai against the throat of–

"Yuki?"

Yuki and Sasuke were standing in front of him, eyes wide with worry. He wondered why they were here and told them as much.

"Aniki are you alright? Sasuke and I are here for you… No matter what…"

Itachi turned to look at the river.

"I've failed someone and I fear for both our village and our clan."

Yuki ran forward and embraced Itachi in a tight hug with Sasuke doing likewise.

"Aniki, it doesn't matter, all you can do is to do better from now on and we'll be right beside you. We still have each other and nothing will change the bond we have."

Despite being so young, his little sister always was wise beyond her years. Itachi often saw much of himself in her, of how she seemed to be on same path of life he was. And it broke him to see her like that.

Then there was Sasuke. His foolish little brother who idolised him and was well on his way to be a great ninja. But he could be brash and immature at times and was balanced out by the quieter and more levelheaded Yuki.

"Indeed nothing will ever change it." Itachi responded quietly.

"Yuki, Sasuke, go back to the clan compound, I'll be back later."

When Sasuke left, Yuki turned around.

"Itachi… I am not blind to what is happening in the clan and I know you intend to save it. But please don't sacrifice yourself Itachi. You don't need to bear this burden alone."

"I'll try Yuki. I'll try."

It was all he could say. _How could he bear to tell her that he could very well cause the entire clan to be killed?_

He shunshined away. _He needed to speak with the Hokage._

* * *

I looked at the spot where Itachi had been standing and uttered a silent prayer to Shisui.

Itachi wasn't the only one who had failed him.

* * *

**AN:** I think I could use some practice in writing fight scenes :P

Anyway, next up is the Uchiha massacre.


	5. Chapter 5 - The Massacre

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**.

**AN: **This chapter is about the Uchiha Massacre, enjoy!

* * *

**Previously**

"Itachi… I am not blind to what is happening in the clan and I know you intend to save it. But please don't sacrifice yourself Itachi. You don't need to bear this burden alone."

"I'll try Yuki. I'll try."

It was all he could say. _How could he bear to tell her that he could very well cause the entire clan to be killed?_

He shunshined away. _He needed to speak with the Hokage._

* * *

As the teacher rambled on about yet_ another_ topic he had already studied, Sasuke allowed his thoughts wander to the cliffside scene yesterday and more specifically his two siblings.

Itachi had, for the longest time, been an unattainable goal. Itachi was the clan prodigy; his aim perfect and his Jutsu flawless and Sasuke wondered if he'd ever be able to match up to his brother. It didn't help that all his Father ever did was compare his achievements to that of his older brother. Itachi had once said, "We are brothers. I am the wall you must climb over, so you and I will continue to exist together." And for a while it rang true.

Then came along Yuki. From a young age, she was already considered a prodigy, with progress rivaling even Itachi's advancement. She gobbled up information like a starving animal and often spent her time either buried in a scroll or training relentlessly. Despite all of her successes, his sister often had this sad or faraway look in her eyes. And then there was that reincarnation business, what did that mean? With a sigh, Sasuke admitted that it was unlikely he would ever understand his sister fully, she was an… —what was that word again?— _Enigma._

Absently flipping a page, Sasuke continued his pondering. At first, Sasuke was worried that his little _imouto_ would overtake him and leave him in her shadow, alone and unwanted. Yet his little sister had surprised him again and done the exact opposite. Instead of being distant like Itachi, she had often stuck with him and even managed to drag his nii-san to spend time with them as well.

Sasuke smiled as he remembered the cat-hunting incident on Yuki's birthday, all of them (even his brother) had never laughed so hard before and at that moment Sasuke had felt so _blessed _to have such _awesome_ siblings. However, both of his siblings always had this _sad look_ even though it melted away whenever they spent time together.

Sasuke shook his head vigorously,_ 'no, there was no way they were sad. Why would they be sad anyway? They were perfect!' _ But he couldn't drop the feeling that something was _very wrong,_ especially with how his nii-san had behaved yesterday. Hmm. Maybe he would ask Yuki when he got home, she had claimed she was sick and stayed home today.

He hoped she was ok.

* * *

_At the Uchiha compound garden…_

Yuki was most definitely _not ok._ As she ran her hand over the smooth polished steel of her black Kama, marveling at its sharpness, she allowed her thoughts to wander towards the upcoming massacre.

_She was scared._

_Scared because those she would face were way out of her league._

_Scared because the family would be irreversibly torn apart._

_Scared of what it would turn she and her siblings into._

Yet, she was resolute.

The clan was doomed, but she would be damned if she didn't at least try to save those who were dear to her.

Mother was guilty of inaction but if there was even the slightest chance she could be spared, Yuki was going to take it.

On the other hand, _Father… _had to go; he was way too deep in the mess.

The sound of flapping wings interrupted her musings as Yuki looked up to see a raven glide over the wall, before settling on her outstretched arm.

As Yuki gently caressed the raven, she spoke.

"Is it done?"

"_Yes. We have done as instructed."_

"You have my thanks Karasu."

'_They say good things come to those who wait, so lets see if it's true.'_

* * *

As the very first bit of the sun slipped below the horizon…

* * *

Yuki walked into her room, making her way over to where her jet-black armor laid spread out on the floor.

* * *

_Itachi pulled out his ANBU suit from his locker within the ANBU barracks._

* * *

She slipped the form fitting chest piece over her head, pulling on the straps to secure it snugly.

* * *

_The metal arm guards were next, as he slipped them over his gloves._

* * *

Her leg armor followed, with her thigh armor smoothly slipping under the flaring segmented waist plates.

* * *

_He slipped on his ninja sandals before reaching for his standard issue sword._

* * *

She pulled on her steel tipped boots before heading to where her Kama lay in its scabbard.

* * *

He strapped on his sword to his back—

* * *

She slung the scabbard diagonally over her back, pulling on its strap to fasten it—

* * *

And they both left, each heavy with regret and apprehension. _There was no turning back._

* * *

I settled down into a meditative pose with practiced ease, stretching my chakra sensing to encompass the entire clan compound, specifically seeking out 2 chakra signatures in particular. Ever since I had mentioned my sensing abilities to Madara, he had taken upon himself to improve them till they were '_Up to standard'_, well up to _his_ standards that was.

Mother was in her room, while Father was in the council room along with the elders, from the looks of it. From the way their chakra fluctuated, they felt… _resigned_?

Did they suspect that some—

_Flicker._

Two heavily dampened chakra signatures appeared right on the edge of my sensing range just as Karasu (the raven summon) spoke.

"We have sighted two intruders."

A bird's eye view of Itachi in his ANBU uniform and Tobi in his Madara disguise breaching the compound popped into my head as I view them from Karasu's eyes.

The timing was crucial. I couldn't make my move too early or we would be tracked down, too late and well, mother would be _dead_. And _that_ couldn't happen.

As their respective chakra signatures flared briefly before multiplying, I shunshined away to my parents room.

POP!

With a displacement of air, I landed in front of my parent's room, crouched and alert for any threats.

_So shadow clones… I always did think slaughtering an entire clan of high-leveled shinobi would take a little more._

As if my words had triggered it, a wave of fatigue assaulted me. I felt thoroughly exhausted_._

_Sleep. You have been preparing so much today, shouldn't you rest? Just go to sleep, everything will be fine._

The calm, pleasant voice in my head was like a siren, luring me into the sweet realm of sleep.

Now that the voice mentioned it, I was rather tired…

"KAI!"

My limbs still felt like lead and my eyelids were beginning to droop. _It didn't work._

_Intent. Remember the intent, you need to mean it and surge your chakra._

I was not going to succumb to this genjutsu, I would NOT fail, not now. _Especially _not now.

"KAI!"

Breaking out of the genjutsu, my eyes snapped open and I did a quick scan of the compounds.

_Only Jonin level and above shinobi are active, _I noted, grimly ignoring the way dots of chakra signatures were being systematically eradicated. I had been lucky, the only reason I had managed to break it was for the fact that I had been expecting it.

_Whoosh!_

I shoved the shoji door aside and barged in, hand on my Kama and eyes scanning the room.

"Yuki? What are you doing here?" My mother questioned, eyes wide.

I supposed I was quite the scene, decked out in full battle gear and in a battle stance. That genjutsu from before probably didn't help either.

I steeled myself and stared right into my mother's eyes.

"Do you trust me?"

* * *

Sasuke edged towards the Uchiha compound cautiously.

The area was dark, overrun with crisscrossing shadows formed by the pale light of the moon—the only lighting available. It was deathly quiet; the only sounds were the minute noises of his feet impacting the cold stone pavement as he crept towards his destination.

Sasuke paused mid-step.

_The streetlights should have been lit. _

_There should been sounds from the hustle and bustle of a busy clan compound._

_**BA-THUMP!**_

His heart rate accelerated greatly, the sounds of his rapid heartbeat joining the pitter-patter of his footsteps.

_Something was wrong._

The air was thick with a strange coppery smell, so heavy that he had to suppress the impulse to retch. _Every time he took a breath, he felt like the very air was choking him, filling him with a deep sense of foreboding._

_**BA-THUMP!**_

_His heart hammered in his chest, threatening to jump right out of his ribcage._

_Something was __**very **__wrong._

When Sasuke caught sight of the _limp, pale_ arm sticking out of a torn shoji door, he stiffened.

Then he ran.

Further into the compound.

_Father! Mother! Aniki! Imouto! Where was everyone?! They had to be safe…Right?_

His grip on the kunai tightened as he ran into the area that housed the living quarters of his family, ready for anything—

Only to meet the red eyed glare of a masked stranger.

* * *

_Earlier…_

THUMP! THUMP!

My feet were a soft staccato rhythm as Mother and I flew towards the compound gates, sandals barely touching the wooden flooring.

We were '_high-tailing' _it, so as to speak, a.k.a Getting the hell outta here.

A flicker of movement at the corner of my eye caught my attention as I pulled out my Kama… Just in time to deflect a barrage of Kunai away from us.

"Che, leaving so soon?" Tobi taunted, stepping out from his shadowed alcove.

A barrage of high-speed kunai, each aimed a vital point answered him.

'_Neck, head, major arteries, unarmored parts. By aiming for these, thrown weapons are become more than just mere irritations.' _

With the grace of a skilled shinobi, Tobi moved smoothly out of their trajectory. Allowing them to pass by him—when they promptly exploded.

Madara's second shurikenjutsu lesson echoed in my head.

'_But no competent Shinobi would get hit, so that is when we improvise. Victory through any means necessary. Explosives, are one of them.'_

As the bits of shrapnel and billowing fire pass straight through Tobi—_like he wasn't even there—_I conclude that this is, unfortunately, _not_ a shadow clone.

Then he _moves_, _really moves._

And then he's in front of mother, '_no!' _kunai poised directly over her heart. '_No_!'

_Then he plunges it into her heart. '__**No!**__'_

Being distracted in combat is a good way to die, I note to myself, as I am roundhouse kicked into a wall…

"Pathetic."

I tilt my head up from where I'm leaning on the wall to meet his gaze.

_Then I smile._

Before the bodies of mother and I dissolve into a murderous flock of Ravens, engulfing him completely.

With a storm of pitch-black feathers, claws and beaks assaulting him, Tobi was forced to use the intangibility of his Kamui.

Perfect. It was a stroke of luck that I had been able to learn and perform the raven clone technique as the ravens that made up the clone would be able to mimic the chakra signature and chakra pathways very closely, thus enabling the clone to fool even skilled ninja.

Where am I _actually?_

I'm pretty sure Tobi and Itachi have some sort of decent chakra detecting/searching technique and they're _way faster_ than me, so running won't quite cut it.

Next best option? Stealth.

So I was currently moving underground—_Kakashi style—_through the use of a helpful earth jutsu which I had spent _months_ mastering, as I suppressed my chakra _and on top of that,_ Karasu and three other ravens were maintaining a complex concealing genjutsu aboveground. Well, _Itachi_ was a genjutsu master and it was originally _his_ summoning contract so… it did make sense, I suppose.

Against an opponent such as Tobi, there was no such thing as too many precautions.

For once, everything seemed to be going ok.

Mother was safe, I was undetected and on my way out, Sasuke… _What was he doing at the compound?!_

At the start of this mess, I had specifically sent four messanger ravens—a bit of overkill, but I wasn't taking any chances—to ensure that Sasuke _did not_ come to compound.

Someone must have intercepted them and they were most likely not Itachi or Tobi, they had been fully occupied during the time frame I had sent them.

So who did that leave?

ANBU. Or more likely, _ANBU ROOT_.

The Uchiha massacre was one of the worst days of Konohagakure and also one of the darkest and dirtiest black ops orchestrated by Danzō.

Danzō wanted to wipe out the _entire Uchiha clan._ Letting any messages—calls for help or otherwise—get out, would _not _happen. They would definitely be ruthlessly intercepted.

Back when I had first learnt of the truth behind the Uchiha massacre, I was incredibly skeptical. Two men, even if they were _extremely_ skilled shinobi, would be hard pressed to wipe out an entire clan _completely._ There would always bound to be clansmen away, whether on missions otherwise. Also, there was a pretty good chance at least one person would be able to escape the compound, given the large amounts of skilled shinobi our clan had.

But now I had a clearer picture.

There were definitely numerous ANBU ROOT squads surrounding the Uchiha compound, even if I couldn't sense them all.

They would likely pick off any fortunate enough to escape Itachi and Tobi's onslaught. Before moving on to eliminate any stragglers, while setting about their gruesome task of harvesting Sharingan eyeballs from the dead.

And I was willing to bet those Uchiha clans people that were away from the compound would soon suffer a _most unfortunate accident_, likely at the hands of a ROOT squad.

_Anyway…_

Tobi managed to get rid of the flock of ravens by substituting away and fried them with a blast of fire, before the remainder chased after him and caused the cycle to repeat.

Just then, a wide-eyed Sasuke came barreling through the door, kunai in hand, before meeting the red-eyed gaze of a _very_ irritated Tobi.

_Crap._

_NeedtosaveSasuke!_

* * *

Sasuke recoiled as a _massive_ wave of killing intent smashed into him, causing his legs to go limp, dropping him onto the floor as that masked… _thing _(_he certainly couldn't call it a man_) stalked towards him, anger seemingly clear in every movement.

_Idon'twanttodieIdon'twanttodieIdon'twanttodie_

Frantic thoughts raced through Sasuke's head as he tried to move his body to no avail. It was useless; he was completely frozen to the spot.

Then the ground between him and the masked thing _exploded_ in a shower of rocks and wood, sending pebbles and splinters flying everywhere.

"SASUKE! RUN!"

Yuki—_where did she come from?_— was standing in between him and that masked _thing._ Her polished Kama was held in front of her as if she sought to ward off _that thing._

Sasuke slashed the kunai on his thigh, the clear _sharp_ pain clearing his body of the paralysis that had overtaken it, though his mind remained just as muddled.

_Heneededtogetaway!_

He stumbled away from Yuki and that thing, pushing himself off a nearby wooden support. He raced through the compound, uncaring of where he went, as long as it was away from that thing.

He skid to a halt as he took in the sight before him.

Itachi was drenched in blood as if he had showered in it, a bloody tantō in hand as he plunged it into the throat of… _Father?!_

As corpses laid splayed around the two brothers, Sasuke opened his mouth and asked in a trembling voice,

"Aniki? What…? Why…Why did you do this!"

A pair of blood red Mangekyo Sharingan rose to meet his gaze.

"You're foolish, Otouto…"

(AN: Cue canon speech/stuff + Tsukuyomi.)

* * *

Tobi observed the young girl—Yuki—through the hole in his 'Madara' mask.

She wisely did not meet his gaze directly, instead focusing slightly below, around shoulder level. It was clever considering the things he could do with just a gaze, especially when she had not unlocked her Sharingan yet.

Her ploy had been _most irritating_, but it did show she had a decent sense of tactics and a decent mastery over ninjutsu and genjutsu.

There was a keen physical resemblance to his former mentor, but looks were just looks. Nothing more.

However, some things stood out.

Despite, all of the unrealistic expectations (oh yes he knew about those) and the hardship she had endured, her eyes were still soft with innocence and contained that spark within them.

_Just like Rin._

But he had to create a world where nobody ever needed to die, a world where _Rin _would never have needed to die. Where Rin, the one person who believed in him, would be with him. Alive and Happy.

And sacrifices had to be made, _no matter the cost._

He would test her unforgivingly; He required absolute strength to fulfill his dream and to accept any less, would be to condemn her to a worse fate.

But if she was successful… Perhaps she could play a part in saving the cruel world they were in.

"So you are the one they claim to be my 'reincarnation?"

The girl remained stoically silent.

Inwardly sighing, he launched into the hand seals for the Great Fireball Technique.

Smiling in satisfaction at the stream of blistering hot fire emerging from his mouth (_he had come a long way from when he was Obito, that idiot)_, he watched as the girl's eyes widened even as she instinctively leapt over it.

Her Kama whistled through the air as she swung it in a upwards decapitating arc. He moved backwards, allowing it to pass harmlessly, mere inches from him.

She followed up with a blitz of precise strikes, her Kama scything through the air with impressive speed, well, impressive for a young child anyway.

Deciding to change things up a bit, he slid underneath her next strike and moved within her range with contemptuous ease, before his punch sent her flying.

Splat! Drip. Drip.

Bright red flecks of blood marked the shiny wooden floor when the girl coughed up blood as she _shakily_ rose to her feet.

He stood still, interested to see what she would do next.

He was only _slightly_ disappointed when waves of fire arced towards him seemingly produced with each swing of her Kama, even as… shadows_?_ seemed to shoot towards him.

He surged his chakra, shattering the genjutsu and allowed the fire to pass through him.

Honestly, it was so easy he almost felt bad about beating up a 6 year old girl. _Almost_.

He had seen enough of her _developing_ skills, perhaps he would move onto something else? Yes, that would be more interesting.

With a burst of speed, he was right in her face, Sharingan already spinning as her eyes met his.

* * *

This was not good.

Things had gone downhill really fast since I had first distracted Tobi to save Sasuke.

Now I was in some kind of Sharingan induced genjutsu.

Surprisingly, the place I found myself had no red skies, dark voids or anything of that sort.

In fact, it was rather picturesque.

I was currently standing on a flat plain of fresh green grass that swayed gently as wind blew across them. On my left and right were lush vibrant forests, similar in nature to those surrounding Konoha. A ring of snow-capped mountains circled the entire place.

And right smack in the middle of the clearing, was a tall matte black obelisk, engraved with intricate seals.

With a start, I realized I was in my mindscape.

I hardly visited my mindscape, even for lessons. However I knew with perfect clarity what purpose the obelisk served.

It contained the memories of my life, with the important bits—like my past life— stored in its core.

I had read many Naruto self-insert fanfictions that had the main character suffer immense mental stress or trauma due to having conflicting memories and knowledge no child should have. And they were quite right to a certain degree, so I had compartmentalized my past life's memories, extracting the relevant parts before stashing the rest away.

'_It's nearly indestructible—or at least as much as I can make it—so even if a battle takes place here, it should be ok… I think.'_

Why would a battle take place here? Well, I'm certain he didn't drag me in here to enjoy the scenery.

As if thinking about him triggered a switch, 'Madara's deep voice sounded from across the clearing.

Taking a look around him, he chuckles. "What an interesting place you have," before his tone grows hard, "It would, no—_is_ a shame to break it."

Now he's examining the obelisk and I don't want him doing that for _obvious reasons_.

So I try to will _something_ to happen and stop him. It's my mind and I should be able to do what I want right?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Nothing happens, seems like whatever technique he used is preventing me from doing so.

So I guess we'll be having an old fashioned fight to the death.

As streaks of fire surge towards me, I spun my Kama rapidly in front of me, catching the blasts of fire in a whirlwind of steel before redirecting them back at 'Madara' as I frantically tried to come up with a plan.

There was a reason why I had tried to avoid him at all costs.

'_Ninjutsu? No, he vastly outclasses me there. Plus with his Kamui, no way they're going to hit him. Genjutsu? I'm not sure that would even work, since we are technically already in one. So that leaves Taijutsu. He's way stronger and faster but at least he can't turn intangible if he wants to strike back._"

Who was I kidding? There only reason I was alive, was because he wanted me alive. I was a 6-year-old girl against an exceptional ninja with overpowered abilities.

_But what did I have to lose?_

With my glowing hot Kama trailing behind me, I leapt at Tobi aiming a swipe at his midsection.

He phased right through it and I dropped under his retaliatory hook, already flowing into a leg sweep.

His strikes were always geared to be slightly faster, slightly harder than what I could handle.

It irritated me to no end. It was painfully obvious that he was toying with me, since at my level, a real fight with any major antagonist wouldn't last more than a second. So we continued.

One seeing how long the other would last.

The other fighting for her life.

CRUNCH!

I hit the ground hard and bounced, before I rolled into a crouch.

As my left side flared with pain, I assessed my health.

My sides were hurting badly, my left arm was limp and my entire body was covered in bruises, burn marks and cuts.

I looked thoroughly defeated, with not a single place of my body uninjured.

_Everywhere hurt._

I had one chance to make my gamble work.

As I rushed him, I swung my Kama in a wide arc, pivoting on my heel to present the back of my head to him, an amateur mistake.

Tobi turned tangible and swung a hammer blow towards the tempting target, likely intending to make it a lesson…

Only for it to phase through my head, a pinprick of blood present on his hand.

While I hadn't quite mastered the manipulation of my hair by applying chakra, I had managed to make my hair decently sharp by forming a thin layer of chakra over individual strands of hair while simultaneously reinforcing it, sheathing my hair with chakra.

He stared at his hand as if transfixed by its appearance before cocking his head curiously towards me.

He had seen through my trap and he did not look pleased.

His front kick shattered my ribs before he appeared behind and reversed my motion with a devastating punch.

_It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts It hurts_

I tried to get back up, only to rise a few inches before collapsing.

Fear flooded my body as I raised my head to take in the sight of a massive fireball hurtling towards me, the sheer heat rippling over me before it had even come near me.

Even as my vision suddenly sharpened and acquired a reddish hue, I knew I wasn't getting out of this one alive.

_I was going to die._

When I died here, what would happen? Would my mind be broken, leaving an empty shell? Would I be subjected to whatever insanity Tobi had in mind for me? I was going to find out.

So I closed my eyes, preparing for the end.

After what seemed to be an eternity, I cracked open my eyes in inquiry.

_Why wasn't I dead?_

My eyes widened as I found my answer.

Sunlight glinting off his crimson armor plates, Madara's sheer presence was utterly overwhelming. His power radiated from him in palpable waves as he casually swatted away the remaining fireballs with his War fan, the very picture of an imposing war god.

It was then I truly appreciated and understood why Madara's reputation alone was able to kick start the 4th Shinobi World War.

* * *

"You waited on purpose."

It was a statement, not a question.

"Shouldn't you be glad I did?"

And I was.

I had finally managed to awaken my Sharingan; it was a critical point in the growth of my strength and ability. With it, I could finally begin accomplishing things, begin _changing_ things. It was my equalizer against foes that would be normally impossible to beat at my level.

The sound of air being sucked in caught my attention and I turned in time to see Madara unleash hell.

The Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation, engulfed the entire ground on which Tobi stood, transforming the ground into a mess of molten rock. The heat was incredible and I was painfully reminded how low on the food chain i currently was. Granted I was just a young girl, but it was unsettling that any villain could just walk in and utterly destroy me and worse, I already did have some of these people after me simply by the virtue of being an Uchiha.

Predictably, Tobi was completely unharmed. He stared at Madara for a moment before a stream of kunai rocketed from a pocket dimension of Kamui. With a swing of the war fan, the kunai impaled the ground at random angles as they were tossed aside by the generated vortex. Tobi glided straight through the vortex and engaged Madara in a Taijutsu bout. The wind whistled as the sheer speed of their attacks created pockets of pressure differences.

It would turn into a battle of attrition if we didn't work around Tobi's Kamui and that would be dangerous, given how little effort Tobi had needed to just turn intangible.

So I emulated Konan.

I telepathically conveyed my plan to Madara and awaited his response.

'It's risky, Very risky. But worth a try'

The plan called for large amounts of destruction to be inflicted onto my already damaged mindscape and would likely cause some problems in the near future but it was like sawing off an infected arm, sacrifice some to save everything.

Combining wind and fire jutsu, Madara formed a storm of searing fire around him, forcing Tobi to keep his distance, before performing a series of hand seals for an earth jutsu.

Even as the ground underneath Tobi split open to swallow him, a thrum of _raw power_ resonated from Madara.

A gigantic blue glowing construct coalesced around Madara, its monstrous Katana already in hand.

_Susanoo_, the ultimate technique of the Sharingan, in its full glory.

With a single slash, a deep chasm formed under Tobi, sending him falling towards the depths of magma.

But Madara wasn't done yet.

Without needing to worry about collateral damage, Madara unleashed his fire jutsu into the chasm without refrain, fire surging through the whole rift.

Numerous glowing rivers of lava formed at the sides of the chasm due to the sheer heat, even as the whole chasm seemed to liquefy to form a gigantic lava pit.

With an anticlimactic splash, Tobi was gone.

Madara turns toward me, placing his Gunbai back onto his back.

"It will take a while before I am able to communicate with you again… I have expended much energy for this battle and must regain it."

His look softens and he continues, "It will be difficult to deal with the grief, but never let their sacrifice be in vain. Live for them, honour their sacrifice."

"You'll be back when I need you right?"

Madara's lips curved upwards into a smile.

"Of course. Till the next time we meet then."

Even as Madara faded, the world around me dissipated and with a jolt, I was back in the real world.

_Where was Tobi?_

My vision was blurring in and out of focus and my body wasn't responding well. _Chakra exhaustion, _I diagnosed, before I swayed and the ground rushed up to meet me.

_Blank._

* * *

As the red glow faded, Tobi stepped away, before halting mid step. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a scroll.

He stared at it, contemplating, before he slipped it inside her pocket, though not before he dripped some of her blood on its seal.

Honestly, he was still slightly shocked. And it took _a lot _to truly surprise him.

Finding his old mentor in her head, certainly counted as _a lot._ He had been so stunned by Madara's appearance that he had spent the first 5 seconds trying to break out of a non-existent genjutsu, before finally accepting that _Yes_, somehow he was there. Now he only had to figure out the _How _and the _Why_.

While it was possible, if not relatively common for people, especially shinobi to possess split personalities, he was certain that was _not_ a figment of her mind. For one, it was way too vivid and forceful. Two, Madara's character and moves were identical. And even if you ignored those, there should have been no way the girl would even know what a _Susanoo _was, let alone how it was used.

'_What a puzzle… though she would be useful. Very useful indeed', _He mused.

Then he was gone.

* * *

Even before the bodies had cooled, darkness engulfed the compound as ravens descended upon the dead in a frenzy, before they were gone as quickly as they had appeared.

Only eyeless corpses were left in their wake.

* * *

I blinked.

I was staring at a pristine white wall.

A quick glance confirmed that I was in the Konoha hospital.

_What happened?_

Then in a rush, it came back to me. The massacre. Mother. Sasuke. Tobi. The Sharingan Genjutsu. Collapsing.

I jolted upright.

"Relax child, you're safe now. **Safe**. Get some rest... I imagine it was a most unpleasant experience." A pause. "Of course, unless you would like to talk about it."

Flinching as a comforting hand was rested on my shoulder, I turned to regard the speaker.

Old wrinkled face. The pipe in his hand. The hat. _The Sandaime Hokage._

"My brother?! My mother?! Are they ok?!"

The Hokage smiled kindly at my sudden outburst, before gesturing to the side.

Across from me were two beds with Sasuke and Mother lying on top of them, both sleeping soundly.

"Your mother is fine, though she seems to be suffering some after effects of being in a storage seal." Raising his eyebrow in a look that said '_I expect the full story later'_, he continued.

"Your brother though… Is suffering from some psychological trauma after being placed under a particularly _nasty_ genjutsu. We… don't know when he will awaken yet."

A sinking feeling settled in my gut. Even though I knew he would wake up, I felt as if I had failed, since he wouldn't even be near the compound if not for my oversight. I could have saved Sasuke from his hatred and probably _still could_, but now… it was an uphill battle.

I shook my head as if trying to physically shrug off the shroud of regret that had settled on me.

If it was any consolation, _at least I did one thing right._

And my mother was living proof of it.

"Thank you Hokage-sama, though I apologise for I'm currently very tired and fear we must continue this conversation some other time." _So I have more time to think of an excuse for Mother_.

"I understand, though before I go, you are sure you do not need anything?"

"Actually... There is one thing..."

* * *

_Flashback_

"Do you trust me?"

Mother seemed slightly taken aback by the request, before she replied, nodding as she did.

"With my life."

With a precise strike to the back of her head, Mother crumpled bonelessly to the ground.

And after a few strokes of ink, she was safely sealed inside a storage scroll, which was specially reinforced with a layer of barrier seals to protect it. Being in a major clan did have its advantages, one of which was ordering ninja equipment without anyone so much as batting an eye.

"Karasu, I need you to take this scroll to the hospital and send a messenger to the Hokage to inform him of these recent… _events_. Keep it safe, please."

"As you wish. I will guard it with my life. Or what's left of it at least," The old raven grumbled as he took off, with 4 other ravens in tow.

There was a surge of chakra and they shimmered out of existence.

* * *

The mass funeral would be conducted when Sasuke awoke, but the monolith bearing the names of Uchiha's that were killed in the massacre was already constructed.

The jet-black stone obelisk was constructed in the courtyard of the main compound, a black tower looming over a dead clan, a stark reminder of the tragedy that took place.

As I ran my hand over the names etched in the cool stone, I paused at one name.

_Mikoto Uchiha_.

After a discussion with the Hokage, we had decided to keep her survival a secret till the matter was sorted out, lest Itachi came back to finish the job.

It was a lie and _we both knew it_.

Well, I doubted that he knew that _I knew_ the truth behind the massacre but both of us were probably more worried about Danzō.

So Mikoto Uchiha was, for the moment, 'dead'.

A gentle breeze rolled into the compound, rustling the leaves of the nearby trees, giving the whole area a serene and peaceful feel.

But I wasn't in any mood to enjoy it.

I just felt _so empty_.

What was the point of all of _this?_

All of the bloodshed.

All of their deaths.

All for _nothing at all_.

I had played the cold and distant prodigy in an effort to distance myself from my own clan. '_After all_', I had told myself, '_getting attached to people who would die could only end in tear_s.' So I closed in around myself, pushing away everyone to protect myself against the emotional anguish that was sure to come.

And some would say that I had played the role _too_ well, to the point where I rarely interacted with anyone, even with those outside the clan.

'_So,_' I wondered, '_Why then did it still. Hurt. So. Much.'_

Then it hit me.

For the first time, since I had been born here, I was totally alone.

While I didn't interact with the clan members that much, they were still there, still accompanying me in silence, still a part of my life I could not escape from, no matter how much I tried.

Even Madara, my mentor, was gone. Gone when he had saved me from Tobi, causing him to disappear until he had regained enough energy. I had become used to his ever-present company, where he would keep me company in my self-imposed insolation, always providing painful though ever truthful advice.

_Alone._

That word brought a bitter taste to my mouth as I recalled my last moments from my previous life.

I had no one beside me, even as I died. They had left me behind, even in death.

I had been alone to the very end then.

And I was alone once more.

I supposed I still had Mother and Sasuke, but they would never be the same, wouldn't quite be able to fill the void I felt.

Laying down the bunch of flowers I had been holding, I considered them.

Shion (紫苑) flowers for signifying _**Remembrance**_. It was fitting.

Things would never be the same.

_So I mourned._

I mourned the lost of my clan due to the foolishness of a few. I mourned what Sasuke had cast aside, in his all-consuming hatred. I mourned all that Itachi had sacrificed for the village, for Sasuke, for _me_.

And above all else, _I __**remembered**_.

I remembered _what had been_. I remembered how the clan was always there, a silent sense of _belonging_ and _care_, shown not through words but through deeds.

I remembered how Sasuke was like, childish but endearingly cute and loyal.

I remembered Itachi, his quiet and overwhelming love for his siblings, to the point where he would —_and subsequently had— _sacrifice anything and everything for them.

I remembered and I held it in my heart, where I held all that was dear to me.

I felt the faint stirrings of _strong _emotion within me.

It wasn't the curse of hatred; no, it was… _something else._

The emptiness was still there, hollow and aching, but now… I had a purpose.

_I would not let their sacrifices be in vain_. _No matter the cost._

They say that life will test your resolve till it reaches its breaking point and then it will go beyond that.

They also said that life isn't fair.

I was suddenly inclined to agree with both.

Why?

Because I suddenly found myself surrounded by four masked ninjas.

_And they weren't ANBU._

"Danzō-sama wishes to speak to you."

_They were ROOT._

_Shit_.

* * *

**AN:** Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	6. Chapter 6 - Mind Games

**IMPORTANT:** This story will be going on a hiatus. More details at the end author's note.

**AN: **As stated above, this story will be undergoing a rewrite, but I felt really bad about leaving this story at a cliffhanger so I decided to at least finish up this chapter before moving on to the rewritten version. I tried to potray Danzō as more than a simplistic evil villain considering his character is somewhat complex. I'm not sure if I succeeded.

* * *

**Previously**

They say that life will test your resolve till it reaches its breaking point and then it will go beyond that.

They also said life wasn't fair.

I was suddenly inclined to agree with both.

Why?

Because I suddenly found myself surrounded by four masked ninjas.

_And they weren't ANBU._

"Danzō-sama wishes to speak to you."

_They were ROOT._

_Shit._

* * *

**Remembrance Chapter 6**

* * *

"**Self-sacrifice... A nameless shinobi who protects peace within its shadow. That is a true shinobi." - Itachi Uchiha**

* * *

This was bad... Very very bad.

While I knew this had been a possibility, I hadn't really thought too much about it... i mean Sasuke hadn't needed to deal with Danzō, so I had assumed that the same thing applied to me.

Apparently not.

Then again, I was jumping to conclusions... Danzō could simply be trying to make sure my loyalties laid with the Leaf, something that could be easily done over a talk.

I nodded stiffly.

I wasn't about to fight off 4 ROOT members.

One of the Root operatives held out their hand.

I reached out, resting my small 6 year old hand in his larger one.

Then we were gone, a swirl of leaves left in our wake.

* * *

"Oomph!"

A few rapid and disorientating shunshins later, I was none too gently dumped on the floor.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to focus in the dim-lighting. As my eyes adjusted, I saw that we were in a large bare room, with several doors set in the side of its stone walls. The discreet ventilation ducts indicated that we were likely underground.

My sense of unease _skyrocketed_ as the four Root operatives dropped to one knee, head bowed.

A long shadow was cast over my small form as a figure offered me a hand up, his face shadowed by the light behind him.

Against my better judgement, I reached out and grabbed hold of the hand, knowing who it belonged to.

And I was not disappointed.

_But I was surprised._

Danzō _was not _how I expected him to be. Perhaps due to his reputation, I had imagined him to be a man whose very aura screamed evil, a man whose heart was as black as the darkness in his title, _Shinobi no Yami_, The Darkness of the Shinobi.

The man standing in front of me was _none_ of that. With an arm tucked in a sling, walking stick tucked under his other arm and one eye bandaged, he looked positively _benign_. Positively _harmless_.

He was smiling warmly at me, seemingly exuding an aura of warmth and approachability. The only indication that he was anything other than the caring, grandfatherly man he currently portrayed was the cold look in his eye—before his eye crinkled and even that was gone.

In short, I was shocked and very very impressed. I knew that Danzō was easily one of the worst and most misguided antagonists in _Naruto..._ But I had trouble connecting the ruthless ROOT commander to the smiling old man in front of me.

He had taken the Sandaime Hokage's grandfather look and ran with it, performing it as well as Kakashi pulled off being a lazy, good-for-nothing sensei.

"I see you have no qualms about accepting help, where others would not have due to their pride. A rare trait, these days, especially from an Uchiha_._"

My mind flashed to Sasuke. Yeah... The future version of him would sooner die than give up his pride.

_Then again,_ the _Uchiha clan were known to be prideful_.

"Arigato councilman... " I pretended to pause, unsure of what his name was.

"Danzō." "Arigato, councilman Danzō." I dipped my head in gratitude as a response appropriate to his standing.

He nodded slightly, before looking at me patiently and I realised that I had not responded to his statement.

"Ano— Councilman-san, i believe that as Shinobi, we are all practical people," I looked down, seemingly lost in thought, before I continued, "We should not, no-_Cannot _let our pride or ambition blind us. Only then can we perceive things as they truly are."

_Something you need to remember Danzō... Your methods aren't the __only_ _methods. Nor are they the best ones._

Danzō nodded, seemingly agreeing with me but I didn't miss the glint of... _Something_ in his eyes.

"How very true. Though I'm curious to know how you knew I was a council member? I'm certain we haven't met before— I would have remembered a nice, well-mannered girl such as yourself."

"Ah, I'm flattered... But I do not believe we have met before, though I have seen you from a distance during some of those bustling new year and lunar festivals. That's where I was informed that you were a council member."

It was _technically _true, even though my parents had later added on, telling me to stay far far away from _that councilman_.

Danzō looked into space as if he was seeing a distant but _fond _memory.

"Oh, I see… Yes the festivals certainly are lively, aren't they," Danzō then continued, a wry smile on his face, "Did you know my friend and I would always challenge each other to see who could snipe the fireworks just as they were launched, detonating them halfway up? Ah, what a sight they would make, so close up."

"And he would win every time, with that damn Sharingan of his… Though the Uchiha clan _is_ renowned for its masterful shurikenjutsu."

_That was new._

"That sounds… _interesting_." I replied, unsure of what to say.

"His name was Kagami Uchiha—I believe that the late Shunshin no Shisui was a descendent of him—and his loyalty to the village was always trusted, even by the Nidaime Hokage. He was like a brother to me."

"So what are your thoughts on _Itachi Uchiha_, Yuki? How was he like? He is your older brother after all."

My eyes widened, even as his single eye stared unmovingly at me.

That was a complete change in attitude... but more importantly,

_Where was he going with this?_

Regardless, I wouldn't be able to lie to a spymaster like Danzō, so I told him the clean and simple truth.

"Itachi… He was a kind and wise person, always looking out for me and Sasuke in his quiet way. He was exceptionally skilled, but a pacifist at heart… He was also extremely loyal to the Leaf. But all of this was wrong in the end, wasn't it?"

"Wrong?… Perhaps not… " Danzō replied softly.

_What? Was he really..._

"You said he was 'extremely loyal', so which do you think he would choose if it came to it? The _village_ or his _clan_? What do you think he would do if the Hokage ordered him to stop an uprising of his own clan that would throw the Leaf into chaos?"

"No… " I stared wide-eyed at Danzō.

_Why was he telling me all of this? __**Why**__?_

"The Hokage had ordered Itachi to spy upon the Uchiha clan and upon finding out they were planning a coup, he offered Itachi a choice. Massacre his clan and spare his siblings, keeping them isolated from the tragedy or the entire clan would be wiped out, with no survivors. So the deed was done, but there is something else… "

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed as he looked at the reports of what was now known as the _Uchiha Massacre_.

'_So so many casualties and only 2 survivors... Itachi Uchiha, it is a great burden you bear due to the failures of those before you. Of my failures.'_

Taking a long drag from his pipe, his eyes rested on the spot where Danzō had stood, when he had brought up the issue of Yuki Uchiha.

Yuki Uchiha, a girl which bore such a close resemblance to her eldest brother. They were both prodigies, exceedingly skilled for their age. They both loved their family deeply and therein lay the crux of the matter. While Itachi had proven his loyalty to Konoha time and time again, _Yuki had not. _She was a young girl and who knew what mental scarring the event had inflicted onto her? Her talent which would undoubtly serve Konoha well, could very well be turned on them when she found out the truth behind the massacre. (And he had no doubt she would, eventually.) _To be fair_, she hadn't exactly been given the chance to prove herself. She was, after all, still a young girl. But the risk was too great and the problem had to be nipped in the bud.

Or so Danzō said.

Danzō had then offered to train her and ensure she would be loyal to the leaf.

He wasn't exactly sure of Danzō's methods were; but the results couldn't be argued with. They had always produced loyal shinobi without fail.

So with a heavy heart, he had agreed that she would be apprenticed under Danzō and signed the document with the Hokage's seal.

It seemed like the right thing to do… but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was _off_.

Well, what was done, was done. There really wasn't any point to doubt himself.

He got up and walked out of the Hokage office, wondering where Naruto and Konohamaru were.

_He was getting too old for this._

* * *

Reaching into his robes, Danzō pulled out an official looking scroll, before continuing.

"There is no need to act so surprised, you must have had your suspicions. In fact, you probably have some idea about my… _reputation_. Which should make this all the more interesting."

In one smooth motion, Danzō unfurled the scroll and held it up.

'_Due to the circumstances regarding the massacre of her clan, Yuki Uchiha is hereby apprenticed to councilman Danzō Shimura who will be in charge of her education in the Ninja arts until she is of age.' —_Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi

_**No.**_

_This had to be a trick. __It had to be__. _

But the bright red seal—the official seal of the Hokage—said otherwise.

_The Hokage handed me over to Danzō. __**Danzō**__, of all people._

_Betrayed. That was how I felt._

"So tell me Yuki, how do you perceive Konoha now? Strong? Just and Fair? _Flawed?_"

My heart was already aching with the fresh loss of my clan. _Of my ruined family. And now this._ I wanted nothing more than to shout out that yes _it was flawed_.

So flawed that a clan was ostracised till the point where they had to resort to a coup d'etat.

So flawed that a boy barely 13—my own brother—would be forced to bear the burden of killing his entire clan.

So flawed that the child of their beloved _Yellow Flash_ would be so abused, with the _Hokage_ knowing about it, yet _wouldn't_ or _couldn't_ even resolve it—and all this was from an event the boy had no control over.

So flawed that young children were being forced to become emotionless puppets right under everyone's noses.

But this was _Konoha_… It _had to be good_… right?

"I… " A pause. "Don't know."

"Is that truly it? Do you fear the truth? Or perhaps..." He smiled, _and it was not a nice smile._ "It is too _painful_ to admit?"

He had hit the jackpot—and he knew it.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" I questioned, my voice barely a whisper.

"Because Konoha is _Fl__awed_. _Soft. Weak. _And if Konoha is the great tree, only its _roots_ keep it toppling and falling. Root is a secret branch of ANBU, _the unseen ones who support the great tree of Konoha from the depths of the earth_."

"You have a choice now, Yuki. Join Root and cleanse Konoha of its weakness," his tone softened slightly, "Free yourself from your emotions, from the burden that is tearing you apart. Protect it from the shadows, so _your brother and mother _need not."

_The implied threat was clear as day._

And I didn't doubt for a second that he wouldn't carry it out if it suited him.

I wanted to shout and curse the unfairness of it all, curse the rotten fate that I had been dealt, but in the end...

_What did it matter?_

_What choice did I have? _

I took a deep shuddering breath—

"I accept… Danzō-sama."

—and bowed deeply.

* * *

Danzo absently brushed his bandaged right eye as the girl was led away.

_Kotoamatsukami. A potent yet subtle mind-controlling genjutsu._

The power possessed by the Mangekyō Sharingan—currently implanted his right eye socket—stolen from the late Shisui Uchiha, a descendent of Kagami.

_Still helping even after all these years Kagami..._

And what a great help it was. With it he had managed to keep Hiruzen, _that old fool, _from disbanding Root and convinced him to turn over the Uchiha girl after some reasoning.

Then it had only been a simple matter of emotionally unbalancing the girl and subtly influencing her.

The timing of the meeting had been no accident either. While she was reeling from the shock from the loss of her clan and her brother still asleep, it was a golden opportunity for him.

And he believed in taking advantage of every opportunity he got.

_True_, Itachi Uchiha had threatened him, in an effort to get him to stay away from Sasuke and Yuki Uchiha. He was content to leave Sasuke Uchiha alone, currently he was of little use. Yuki Uchiha, on the other hand, was too good to pass up. A malleable and withdrawn child, pre-trained by her own clan and skilled in her own right? _How could one pass that up?_

Besides… only a fool allowed someone as dangerous as Itachi Uchiha to run freely without a trump card ready to strike him down.

_And what better trump card than_ _**his own sister**__?_

* * *

**AN:** If you're questioning why Danzo would reveal the truth to Yuki, she will be in Root soon, and will likely get the cursed seal. Besides, there are Yamanaka's in Root and stuff such as memory seals if it really came to it.

**Update (22/7/15) **  
Due to real life commitments and a waning interest in this particular storyline, I will be placing this story on hiatus :(  
I'm honestly not sure if I will continue on with this storyline — looking back, the writing and plot seems quite bad. So even if this story is continued, there will likely be major overhauls.

Im currently working on a few other stories and hopefully (cross fingers) I'll be able to post them soon.  
Thank you :D

Now, where did I leave my inspiration this time?


End file.
